Paper-separator.



PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905.

H. W. BRINTNALL.

PAPER SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 27 1905 jay UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TO FELIX A. VENNEY, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

PAPER-SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1905.

Application iled March Z7, 1905. Serial No. 252,286.

To t/Z whom, 'llt www concern:

Beit known that I, HARRY W. BRINTNALL, a citizen of the United States, residing' at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Paper-Separators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to mechanism for separating sheets of paper ofthe general character described in Patent No. 7457,864, granted December 22, 1903.

My primary object is to simplify the meehanism required for the purpose indicated and insure greater certainty in the separating' operation.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents a broken elevational View of sheetseparating mechanism constructed and operating' in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a similar View showing another position of the parts and illustrating the manner in which the one edge of the body of the uppermost sheet of paper is by a straightening` or stretching process raised above the pile to enable an air-blast to complete the separating' operation; and Fig. 3, a detail View showingl the method of adjusting the tension upon the friction paper-engaging rolls employed.

In the construction shown in the patent above referred to, as well as in certain other constructions known to me, paper-engaging lingers are employed, which work toward each other in a paper-buckling operation, and stops are employed for holding the paper at points near the buckling-fingers, together with meehanism for actuating thestops. In this construction, owing to the necessity of arranging thepaper-stops close to the buckling-fingers, uncertainty and lack of positiveness in the paper-separating operation is experienced, particularly on days which are favorable to the development of an annoyingly large amount of frictional electricityin the paper. The result is that two sheets of paper are sometimes fed at one time or the paper is torn, necessitating the frequent stoppage of the ma chine in connection with which the paper-separator operates, thereby causing great loss and annoyance.

It is the object of my invention to obviate the difficulties mentioned, and I am able by near the ends thereof.

the adoption of a simple expedient not only to simplify the separating mechanism but to render the separating operation exceedingly positive and reliable. To accomplish this result,I provide mechanism with paper-engaging' fingers having' working' strokes away from each other', so that the top sheet of paper will 60 be straightened and lifted from the pile, the corners of the pile of paper being wedged up to produce a hollow between them, across which the top sheet of paper is stretched during' the working strokes of the fingers, en- 65 abling a centrally-directed air-blast to complete the separation of the topmost sheet from the pile.

The mechanisms employed for effecting the movements of the paper-engaging lingers may be of any desired construction. I have illustrated a known construction of such mechanisms, and it is only necessary to make plain the novel arrangement of the mechanisms with little reference to details of construction, ex- 5 cept as to novel features therein.

A and B represent paper-engaging fingers, and A B the mechanisms for actuating the same. The mechanisms A and B are reverse duplicates--tl1at is, they are similar mechan SO maintaining high points Z d at two corners 90 of the uppermost sheet, while the margin of the sheet between said corners occupies a depressed plane d2. The lingers A and B work against the inclines of the pile of paper and by their frictional engagement with the uppermost sheet straighten said sheet, so that it will span the hollow between the raised points in the manner shown in Fig. 2, thereby separating the margin of the sheet from the pile by a space cl3. jection of an air-blast through a nozzle (Z1, arranged just in front of the pile of sheets and with its orifice directed to the space (Z3. The

air-blast, which is supplied from any suitable source, (not shown,) serves to complete the separation of the uppermost sheet from the The mechanisms may be regarded as S5 This gives room for the in- IOO pile, enabling it to be withdrawn and fed to the printing-machine (for instance) in the usual manner.

Each of the linger-actuating mechanisms A and B comprises a frame f, in which is journaled a shaft f', equipped with cams fQfB, an arm f", pivotally connected with said frame, joined to and actuating the corresponding paper-engaging linger and actuated by the cam f2, and an arm f5, actuated by the cam f3 and serving to actuate a linger-lifting rodf, joined to the nger near its free extremity. A spring f7, encircling the rod f, holds the finger depressed during its working stroke. rlhe shafts f are actuated in unison by any suitable means. (Not shown.) Inasmuch as these mechanisms form portions of well -known mechanisms which are shown, for instance, in the above-mentioned patent, further description here is unnecessary. It is sulicient to say that the mechanisms are arranged and timed to give to the ngers A and B working strokes away from each other and to lift the fingers from the paper and return them to their initial positions at the proper time.

lnasmuch as it is a fact that in practice it is necessary to give to the lingers a working stroke which is greater than actually is required to straighten the top sheet of paper, I provide means to prevent tearing of the sheet, comprising a friction-roller f, preferably of rubber, journaled on a threaded stud g, projecting laterally from the free end of the paper-engaging finger, the roller being conlined on a bushing between collars g2. rThe stud is equipped with a nut g3, which serves to adjust the tension of a spring gi, which bears against the bushing. Thus it will be seen that while the roller is free to rotate on its journal still it is yieldingly held, so that the roller will exert the necessary force to straighten the sheet of paper and then roll upon the paper until the Working stroke of the linger is completed.

Any suitable means may be employed for actuating the lingers, and any suitable detail of construction for enabling` idle movement of the rollers after the paper has been straightened may be adopted.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isA

l. The combination with means of supporting a pile of paper and holding the paper elevated at two points, of two suitably-actuated paper-engagingmeanshavingworkingstrokes away from each other and serving to straighten the uppermost sheet and cause it to span the space between the elevated points, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with means of supporting a pile of paper and holding the paper elevated at two points, of two suitably-actuated paper-engagingmeans having working strokes away from each other and serving to straighten the uppermost sheet and cause it to span the space between the elevated points, and a noz- Zle having an orifice located between the elevated points of the paper to direct a blast beneath the top sheet, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of papersupporting means, means for sustaining certain points in the paper above the general level, thereby producing a depressed plane bounded by inclines, a pair of lingers engaging the paper near the inclines, and mechanisms serving to move the fingers away from each other up the inclines, thereby to straighten the uppermost sheet, and serving then to lift the lingers and return them to their initial positions, for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination with means for supporting sheets of paper with the body thereof on a given level and certain points thereof elevated, of a pair of lingers having' working strokes away from each other, and yieldinglyheld paper-engaging rollers supported on said lingers, whereby the rollers will turn after the paper has been straightened to enable the working stroke to be completed without injury to the paper, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with paper-supporting means, of lingers provided with lateral journals, rollers journaled thereon, springs bearing against said rollers, nuts confining said springs, mechanisms serving' to move said lingers away from each other while maintaining the rollers in contact with the paper and then lift the lingers and return them to their original position, and an air-injecting nozzle located between said mechanisms, for the purpose set forth.

HARRY WV. BRINTNALL.

In presence of- M. S. MACKENZIE, J. H. LANDIS.

IOO 

